Point-Of-Sale (POS) terminal devices often include a variety of integrated devices, such as scanners, scales, integrated scanners with scales, card readers with on-screen signature capabilities, and the like.
One type of POS terminal is a customer-operated Self-Service Terminal (SST). A customer that operates a SST can often get confused and not understand what is the next steps being required during a transaction with the SST. Many, SSTs will provide onscreen responses in an attempt to assist the customer but such responses are limited and often not even applicable to the customer's ongoing problem with the transaction.
For example, a customer buying produce that needs placed on a scale my attempt to scan the produce instead of placing the produce on the scale. As another example, a customer may successfully scan an item at the SST but is unsure where to place the scanned item. In yet another case, a customer may have difficulty in scanning a coupon that the customer wants to have applied to the transaction (such as unsure when to scan during the transaction, etc.).
Many times what occurs in these situations is the SST locks and says a clerk is in route for assisting the customer. This is time consuming, utilizes valuable human resources of the retailer, etc.
Another type of POS terminal is a cashier-operated terminal. Cashiers can encounter issues where they need assistance from supervisors as well. This is particularly true of newer cashiers that have not been on the job for any substantial period of time. When these cashiers need assistance, supervisors (who may be busy or unavailable for an extended period of time) are dispatched to assist the cashiers needing assistance. This causes customer frustration as the queue length and wait times increase for customers who are in the queue where a cashier needs assistance.
Therefore, what is needed is improved and customized assistance for operators of POS terminals during a transaction.